The present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting and packaging nests or skeins of pasta from drying frames to packaging containers.
Within the same technical field, the applicant has already filed an application (IT 3567 A/89, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 07/556,822 and EP 90 11 4204.2) concerning an apparatus for automatically removing pasta nests from drying containers comprising a mechanism for interspacing groups of the nests on drying frames in checkerboard pattern with respect to interspaces between the adjacent groups; also included is a mechanism for entering into the mentioned interspaces, for translating the groups of the nests in a plane of the groups to respective locations at which the groups respectively pass through an opening transverse to the plane and into packaging containers.
In such an apparatus, the interspacing mechanism includes brushes which space the pasta nests so as to permit the translating mechanism, including brushes, to bring the formed groups of pasta nests out of the frame and place them on packaging points. These packaging and translating brushes are quite efficient; however if they are not changed after some period of time, they can lose bristles which may be transported into the packaging containers.
An object of the present invention is thus to provide an automatic pasta handling apparatus which moves the pasta nests from the drying frames without running the risk during prolonged use that foreign matter may be packaged with the product in the container.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for transporting and packaging nests or skeins without wasting the product itself, since the product must be delicately handled.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which is easy, efficient, works well and is relatively inexpensive.
All these objectives and many more can be achieved with the present invention. The apparatus of the invention relates to an apparatus for transferring pasta nests or skeins from drying frames to packaging containers, and more particularly, it relates to an apparatus which includes three consecutive and horizontal translators, the first two having vertically moveable nails or cramps and the third having a moveable checking side, and suitable as a whole to move parallel rolls of pasta nest or skeins from drying frames to packaging containers.